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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24941362">respite</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikeymarshmallows/pseuds/spikeymarshmallows'>spikeymarshmallows</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>look at me when i hurt you [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Fluff and Smut, Daddy Kink, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Rimming, Sibling Incest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:42:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24941362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikeymarshmallows/pseuds/spikeymarshmallows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Fragile was never a word that Diego would ascribe to Klaus. Klaus was a resilient, driven little fucker. It didn't matter what shit life threw at him, he always found a way to weasel, manipulate, lie, or hide his way through it. Diego thought of that as a compliment. Diego punched his way through life. Klaus just survived, like the hardy, stubborn asshole he was. He admired Klaus' resilience. His ability to withstand more than others expected of him, and then some, was one of the many reasons Diego loved him. Klaus was many things. Vulnerable, yes, particularly for Diego. But fragile? Never.</i>
</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Klaus wasn't having the best evening; sometimes a little respite was needed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Diego Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>look at me when i hurt you [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595641</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>230</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>respite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Klaus looked positively haunted when Diego got home. Diego's chest tightened as he stopped whistling.</p>
<p>"Hey," he said softly, setting his keys, wallet, and bandolier down slowly on the little table beside the front door.</p>
<p>"Hey."</p>
<p>Diego exhaled slowly. He had to approach this carefully, lest Klaus make like the injured animal he was emulating and lash out, or even worse, flee. "Rough night?" His back hurt; he wanted to crack it, stretch it out, but even that seemed too quick of a movement.</p>
<p>Klaus nodded wordlessly. He wasn't crying. Diego might have preferred it if he were, rather than this soundless, unmoving shell of his lover. Diego knew (well enough, anyway) how to handle crying. He never knew how to deal with this. Klaus looked… Klaus looked <i>fragile</i>.</p>
<p>Fragile was never a word that Diego would ascribe to Klaus. Klaus was a resilient, driven little fucker. It didn't matter what shit life threw at him, he always found a way to weasel, manipulate, lie, or hide his way through it. Diego thought of that as a compliment. Diego punched his way through life. Klaus just survived, like the hardy, stubborn asshole he was. He admired Klaus' resilience. His ability to withstand more than others expected of him, and then some, was one of the many reasons Diego loved him. Klaus was many things. Vulnerable, yes, particularly for Diego. But fragile? Never.</p>
<p>It was why it terrified Diego so much when he saw glimpses of it.</p>
<p>Acting as if he had more of a clue what to do than he actually did, Diego crossed over into the living space so that he was standing in front of Klaus. Klaus didn't get off the floor, just kept staring blankly at the black television in front of him. Diego reached out, and used two fingers below Klaus' chin to tilt his face up. Dark circles that hadn't been there this morning bruised Klaus' eyes. His eyeliner was still perfectly intact.</p>
<p>"Hey, sweetheart," Diego said softly, letting the corner of his mouth twist into something he hoped resembled a smile. "You look a little cold. You cold?" Their soft throw blankets were still folded haphazardly on the sofa, just as they'd been when Diego had left for his evening patrol.</p>
<p>Klaus took a few breaths to answer. Finally, he nodded, a jerk of the head that was almost imperceptible. Diego would have missed it if he weren't touching Klaus.</p>
<p>"Why don't you go run a bath then, hey? Can you do that for me, baby boy?"</p>
<p>Again, Klaus took some time for the words to filter through whatever fog or darkness clouded his mind, to process the words, to find his answer. He nodded jerkily, a little more movement this time. Okay. Good. Progress.</p>
<p>When it looked like Klaus had found the fortitude to move, Diego helped him to his feet. He let Klaus do all of the work, not wanting to move him too quickly. Diego remained in place, watching as Klaus made it to the bathroom on unsteady feet. After a few moments he heard the thunder of water flooding the tub.</p>
<p>He exhaled, letting his shoulders droop.</p>
<p>This hadn't exactly been what he'd had in mind for getting home. He'd hoped Klaus might have fallen asleep without him, or that he'd be watching some early morning reruns of a sitcom. Diego would have cooked them something and Klaus would have sat outside of Diego's shower, regaling him with ridiculous tales as he cleaned up. Klaus probably would have blown him, and Diego would have fallen asleep with Klaus tapping out his heartbeat with a nail-bitten finger.</p>
<p>It was fine. Diego could do this. He knew how to do this. Klaus had been getting better. He hadn't relapsed in… god, almost a year now? Banishing the ghosts took less out of him. He was considering community college. Things were better.</p>
<p>Diego pinched off his gloves and dropped them onto the coffee table as he sat down to remove his boots. There was a chess game on the coffee table, half played. Assuming Klaus was black (which he always was because he liked black, like his soul—it was a terrible joke and yet he told it <i>every single time</i>), Ben had been absolutely kicking his ass. Maybe Ben was here. He liked to think Ben was always around. Well, almost always.</p>
<p>He went around the room, putting away his things, stripping off his outermost layers, and changing into comfier clothes. He wanted a shower but there were more important things to deal with right now.</p>
<p>The water was still running. The tub was enormous and took ages to fill. Klaus loved it.</p>
<p>He poked his head into the bathroom. Klaus sat on the edge of the bath, hand dangling beside him. The water barely grazed his fingertips.</p>
<p>"That looks nearly done," Diego commented. Klaus didn't flinch. Klaus leant against him when he was within range; some of the tension in Diego's chest loosened. Without jostling Klaus too much, Diego picked up two containers of bath salts from the ledge at the head of the tub.</p>
<p>"Which ones are we thinking tonight? Lavender or peppermint?"</p>
<p>Klaus buried his face in Diego's t-shirt, shaking his head. Enough said.</p>
<p>"I think peppermint tonight. You're nearly out of lavender, so we'll have to make sure to restock that soon." Diego poured a good amount of the peppermint salts into the bath, turning the water a very pale green. He turned off the taps.</p>
<p>"Much as I would like to, I can't actually put you in the bathtub," Diego said as he tugged Klaus' minuscule tank top up and over his head. Klaus' skin was cool, almost cold, to the touch.</p>
<p>"That just means you're not trying hard enough," Klaus said slowly, voice muffled against Diego's abdomen. It startled a laugh out of Diego. Okay, positive direction. Things were looking up.</p>
<p>"Can you get in the bath for me, Klaus?" Diego carded his fingers through Klaus' curls. His hair was getting long and almost reached his shoulders. It was forever getting tangled but Diego liked it.</p>
<p>Klaus sighed as if the task was monumental but pushed himself away from Diego all the same. He shucked out of his boxers, leaning against Diego when the task was done, as if it had drained more of his resources than expected. Diego waited him out, and sure enough Klaus found it within himself to sink down into the tub.</p>
<p>He hissed at the heat but settled back into it. Klaus, despite being tall and almost as broad as Diego, often looked small. He was dwarfed in the tub; it made Diego happy to see. One of the only requirements they'd had when hunting for an apartment was that it had a bathtub. It had narrowed the pool of potential apartments down significantly, particularly in the newer apartment complexes that Klaus seemed most excited over (Diego suspected it was something to do with getting as far away as possible from anything remotely like the Academy) but it was worth it every time Diego saw Klaus sink into a tub that didn't give him cold knees.</p>
<p>Before he got himself comfortable, he grabbed a few thick towels from the linen closet tucked into the corner of the room and threw them into the dryer. The quiet whir of the dryer became the only sound in the apartment.</p>
<p>That task completed, Diego knelt beside the tub, the fluffy bathmat not doing much to shield his knees from the cold, hard tile. Klaus blinked up at him, a little more present now. Diego ran idle fingers through the water, inhaling the cool scent of peppermint. Once upon a time, getting this close to a full tub of water would have sent Diego into a silent panic attack; these days, it only made his heart race a little faster. He could sit beside Klaus as he bathed without (many) flashbacks. Klaus had asked him to come in only once. Diego hadn't had the chance to stutter out that he couldn't—he didn't—he wasn't— before Klaus saw whatever it was he needed to see on his face. Klaus hadn't asked since.</p>
<p>Diego was always happy to sit back and let Klaus talk but it didn't mean that Diego was silent. With Klaus not providing a running commentary, Diego started talking about his patrol that night and how he was considering asking Al for a job, maybe coaching at the gym. He didn't need the money but it would be something good to do. Klaus watched him, his eyes becoming more focussed as the one-sided conversation wore on. He definitely wasn't back but he was certainly less traumatised than when Diego had walked in.</p>
<p>As Diego talked, Klaus sat up a little, drawing his knees to his chest. He rested his head on his knees, facing Diego, a sweet little smile just barely peeking through.</p>
<p>Diego let himself sink down further onto the floor to give his knees a break. He traced loose figure 8's onto Klaus' exposed knee.</p>
<p>"How're you doing, sweetheart?"</p>
<p>Klaus nodded but didn't say anything.</p>
<p>"Want me to wash your hair for you?"</p>
<p>Klaus pondered this before shaking his head.</p>
<p>"Mmkay. Well, how about you wait there and I'll go get your PJ's, okay?"</p>
<p>Klaus frowned, a little crease appearing between his eyebrows. Diego wanted to smooth it away.</p>
<p>"I don't want you getting cold, okay?" he explained when Klaus still seemed undecided on this course of action.</p>
<p>Klaus nodded minutely, his lower lip sticking out the barest amount.</p>
<p>Diego grabbed one of his older t-shirts and some of Klaus' underwear. At the last second, he rifled around their shared wardrobe for one of his own hoodies. It was oversized on Diego (an accidental purchase when he'd been in a rush and hadn't checked the label as well as he should have) and would swamp Klaus. Klaus loved it.</p>
<p>Klaus perked up a little when he returned to the bathroom, eyes lighting up. Another knot in Diego's stomach loosened. Good. This was progress.</p>
<p>Once Klaus was towelled dry with warm, fluffy towels and dressed warmly, Diego took him by the hand and led him to the kitchen. He grabbed one of the bigger throw pillows from the sofa as he walked past.</p>
<p>"I'm hungry," Diego said, as if this were a normal conversation on a normal night. He set the cushion down beside his feet, and used a hand on Klaus' to guide Klaus to kneel on it. Klaus hummed happily and rubbed his face against Diego's thigh.</p>
<p>Diego moved about the kitchen, grabbing the ingredients required for protein pancakes. They were always quick and easy to whip up; it was an added bonus that Klaus liked them. As he worked, he occasionally paused to hand-feed Klaus some of the blueberries for the pancakes. Klaus rested against his leg, as if the act of being conscious was exhausting. It made moving around a little awkward but Diego managed. He smiled, enjoying having Klaus there, close enough that he could scratch blunt nails through Klaus' hair every so often.</p>
<p>He ate at the stove, eating the pancakes as soon as they left the frying pan. He broke off little pieces to slip down to Klaus, trying not to enjoy the way Klaus' tongue caught his fingers <i>too</i> much.</p>
<p>After, he crouched down and smoothed Klaus' hair from his face, kissing him sweetly. He tasted of maple syrup and blueberries and the sweet vanilla of the pancakes. Klaus whined into the kiss, deepening it. It was the first sign of the Klaus that Diego knew and loved all evening. Diego rewarded him by letting him continue to deepen the kiss, biting his lower lip and making Klaus tremble in his arms by the time he was done.</p>
<p>The dishes could wait until tomorrow.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>He brought Klaus into his lap so that Klaus was straddling him. Klaus wrapped his arms around Diego's neck, burying his face in his shoulder. Diego's hands rested at Klaus' hips.</p>
<p>"You wanna talk about it, sweetheart?" Diego asked, although he already knew the answer.</p>
<p>Klaus shook his head. "'S is nice…" He shifted forward, bringing their chests closer together. Diego spent some time stroking up and down Klaus' back, letting some of the tension of the evening finally drain from his own body. Klaus sank against Diego.</p>
<p>For a moment, Diego wondered if Klaus would fall asleep like that and need to be carried to bed. Diego was strong but Klaus was long-limbed and difficult to manoeuvre at times.</p>
<p>He needn't have worried. He felt little shifts of Klaus' hips against his. They started slow, small enough that Diego wondered if Klaus was just adjusting to get more comfortable. The movements continued and soon enough, he felt Klaus twitching against his stomach.</p>
<p>Normally that would be enough to get Diego going but he was tired. Little pants were escaping Klaus' mouth now, tiny moans caught in his throat.</p>
<p>Diego shifted back; Klaus whined in protest. "It's okay, sweetheart. Here," he said as he moved Klaus off his lap, earning another wordless complaint as he pushed Klaus around until he was on his elbows and knees on the sofa.</p>
<p>The sound that escaped Klaus was happier now.</p>
<p>Diego dragged Klaus' favourite dark blue panties halfway down his thighs, kissing across the small of his back.</p>
<p>"'S okay, sweetheart," he repeated softly. "I'll take care of you."</p>
<p>Klaus shivered when Diego's mouth made contact, letting his head hang down. Diego started gentle, building up quickly as Klaus' moans increased in volume and desperation. Diego's hands gripped his ass, spreading Klaus wider as he took Klaus efficiently apart with his tongue.</p>
<p>Klaus was biting one of the decorative cushions but it did little to mute his cries. Diego, not for the first time, mentally sighed in relief at the soundproofed apartment.</p>
<p>When Diego reached a hand around to grip Klaus where he was leaking and hard, Klaus cried out in protest. "No, no, not yet, please Daddy," he pleaded, voice suspiciously wet.</p>
<p>Diego sat back on his heels, running both hands over whatever of Klaus' skin he could reach. His sweater had ridden right up to his shoulders, exposing lean muscle and pale skin. "What do you need?" His voice was hoarse to his own ears.</p>
<p>"Fuck me, please, Daddy, fuck me," Klaus said, breath coming in little pants.</p>
<p>Diego had grown hard as he'd fucked Klaus with his tongue but he'd been happy to ignore it in favour of giving Klaus whatever it was he needed.</p>
<p>"Of course, how can I deny you when you ask me so sweetly?" Diego said before bringing his mouth back to where Klaus was pink and so very sensitive. Klaus cried out, whatever he was saying becoming garbled, then muffled as he buried his head in the cushions again.</p>
<p>Diego withdrew and wiped his mouth and chin with the back of his hand before spitting into his hand, and stroking himself to full hardness.</p>
<p>Klaus shook when Diego eased himself in. Klaus could take it, Diego knew he could, but tonight wasn't about ripping Klaus apart. Klaus' body shook, little spasms running up his back. He sniffled again.</p>
<p>Diego didn't give him too long to adjust before he  set about giving Klaus the pounding he begged for in a litany of 'please' and 'more' and 'Daddy'. His body shook. He clenched with each sob that wracked his body; Diego tried not to enjoy it quite so much. Klaus cried often enough during sex and miscellaneous fuckery that Diego was starting to become conditioned to it, his dick twitching in interest as soon as he saw tears begin to fall. The issue was that it was beginning to happen outside of the bedroom.</p>
<p>Diego's hands twisted in Klaus' hair, keeping him down. Klaus' cries of pleasure became ever louder. He could feel every tremor in Klaus' body, his back pressed against Diego's chest. This time, Klaus didn't protest when Diego wrapped his hand around Klaus' cock and jerked him off roughly. Klaus came soon after, muffled shouts into the pillow, impossibly tight around Diego. Diego allowed himself to meet his own end then, eyes rolling back in pleasure as heat flooded his body.</p>
<p>Klaus continued to shake as Diego withdrew. Diego watched, entranced momentarily, as some of his come leaked out of Klaus. He cleaned up as best he could without having to get up. Once he was done, he finished tugging Klaus' panties down so they wouldn't get ruined and then pulled Klaus into his lap. Klaus' cheeks were wet. Diego wiped his face clean, cupping Klaus' face and kissing his forehead. When Klaus' eyes met his again, they were clear. His eyeliner had run but he didn't look broken anymore. He just looked like Klaus.</p>
<p>"Welcome back," Diego said.</p>
<p>"Thanks Daddy," Klaus murmured, resting his head on Diego's shoulder.</p>
<p>"You okay?"</p>
<p>Klaus nodded. "Yeah, just. Rough night." He cuddled Diego back as best he could given the position.</p>
<p>The sky outside had turned the deep blue-orange that signalled dawn was approaching. Diego rested his head against Klaus. The exhaustion that had been pulling at him since he'd come home was stronger thanks to his orgasm and Klaus seemingly feeling better. He let his eyes drift shut. He just wanted to rest for a moment before he dragged them to bed.</p>
<p>He was distantly aware of Klaus shifting, of being moved and lying down. He reached for Klaus but Klaus hushed him, his body curling around Diego's shortly after.</p>
<p>When he woke up next, the sky was a vibrant blue. His neck fucking hurt from where he'd fallen asleep on the couch. There was a fuzzy throw blanket tucked around his body, a little too tight for comfort. He was alone. Well, he thought he was alone until he heard a clatter of pots and pans and Klaus' muffled swearing from the kitchen.</p>
<p>"No, it's this one. He always uses this one. No, no, I fucking know, I pay attention sometimes," Klaus whispered furiously at what had to be Ben. "Yes it is!"</p>
<p>Diego pushed himself up onto his elbows to see which pans Klaus was arguing about. There were eggs, milk, and flour on the counter.</p>
<p>"The one in your right is for pancakes. The one in your left is what I use for stir-fry and stuff."</p>
<p>Klaus cursed loudly. "Goddamnit, you couldn't take my side just once?" He shoved one of the pans back under the counter, any attempts at being quiet gone.</p>
<p>Diego sat up, rolling his neck in an effort to ease some of the aches. Naps on the sofa? Excellent idea. Actually sleeping on the sofa? Terrible, terrible plan.</p>
<p>He watched Klaus fiddle with the stove, hovering his hand over the heat and looking suspiciously like he was going to touch the element to test the temperature.</p>
<p>"Don't touch that," Diego said quickly.</p>
<p>Klaus jerked his hand back and glared. "I wasn't," he said unconvincingly.</p>
<p>It took more effort than he would have liked to push himself out of the thick sofa cushions. His head hurt. He added that to the list of ailments he had. He wrapped his arms around Klaus' waist from behind, tucking his chin over Klaus' shoulder. He was still wearing Diego's sweatshirt, sleeves pushed up over his elbows.</p>
<p>"Pancakes?" Diego asked. There was batter and various ingredients over half the surfaces in the kitchen.</p>
<p>Klaus nodded. "I was trying to make them before you woke up," Klaus said with a tiny sulk in his tone.</p>
<p>"Should've just listened to Ben then," Diego teased.</p>
<p>Klaus stiffened. "Hey, you're legally obligated to take my side in this."</p>
<p>"Legally obligated?"</p>
<p>"Yes. I take your dick multiple times a day; you take my side in all arguments. Them's the rules."</p>
<p>"My mistake," Diego said drily. He frowned at the batter. "Do you want feedback, or me to just leave you be?"</p>
<p>Klaus groaned. "What did I do wrong this time?"</p>
<p>"Well, for starters, did you follow the recipe I wrote out?"</p>
<p>"Recipes are for schmucks. I made this with love."</p>
<p>"You couldn't find the recipe, could you?"</p>
<p>"No," Klaus was sulking again. He sullenly twirled the whisk through the overly runny batter.</p>
<p>Diego hated to drag himself away from Klaus' warmth but he did. He grabbed the flour. "Okay, we can fix this."</p>
<p>They ate the salvaged pancakes in bed, blinds drawn. Diego refused to sit back on the dreaded sofa again.</p>
<p>"Thank you," Klaus said into one of the comfortable silences that fell over them.</p>
<p>"It was fine. They only needed a little extra flour and sugar," Diego said around a yawn.</p>
<p>"No, I mean for last night." Klaus drew little circles on Diego's stomach. "I know you were tired. You could've just taken me to bed. But you didn't."</p>
<p>Diego tightened the arm he had around Klaus' shoulder and kissed the top of his head. "Any time, baby boy. You know that."</p>
<p>Klaus looked up at him, green eyes big and glinting with mischief. "Yeah, I do." He sat up, bringing himself around so that he was straddling Diego's lap. Diego had the presence of mind to set the plate on the bedside table.</p>
<p>Klaus wriggled on his hips. "My Daddy hurt his back taking care of me. So I think I'm gonna take care of him."</p>
<p>Diego raised an eyebrow, resting his hands on Klaus' bare thighs. "Oh yeah?"</p>
<p>Klaus leaned in to kiss him, dirty and heated. "Yeah."</p>
<p> </p>
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